My Jolly Sailor Bold
by ButterflykissesHermione
Summary: Hermione is a Mermaid and Draco the wealthy son of the Malfoy Dynasty, heir to the old merchant's fortunes. What happens when they cross paths? Completely AU. Mermaid/Merchant!Dramione Rated M for language, gore, mentions of suicide and drowning and some lemons later on perhaps.
1. If they did not meet

Author's Note: I'M ALIVE. Sorry I haven't updated with anything new in like 2 years. Writer's block and work. Though those are my reasons I have no excuse for such a long absence. And for that I apologize. I hope you enjoy this story. I wrote this first chapter after getting this idea stuck into my head about mermaids and Dramione. So I put two and two together. Hopefully this will get my creative juices flowing again and I can go back to Princess of Avalon and Beauty, Beast: the Enchantment. So please enjoy this new story. Remember reviews would be lovely. And I don't own any characters from Harry Potter. JK Rowling and Warner Brothers do.

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Chapter 1: If They Did Not Meet

 _My heart is pierced by Cupid. I disdain all glittering gold,_  
 _There is nothing that can console me but my jolly sailor bold._  
 _Come all you pretty fair maids whoever you may be_  
 _Who love a jolly sailor bold that ploughs the raging sea._  
 _My heart is pierced by Cupid. I disdain all glittering gold,_  
 _There is nothing that can console me but my jolly sailor bold._

She took to killing men far more easily than her cousins the Silkies. Where as the Silkies were gentle in nature only provoked when done wrong by their male lovers. She on the other hand had no such qualms. She needn't love for it was foolish. The only things she needed were human men to feast upon and the oceans in which she lived. She was a beauty and as such used it to her advantage when getting dinner.

Smart, cunning and deadly this mermaid weeped no tears of sorrow as she lured sailors and pirates to their deaths. Her songs enchanted men and it was then that she would drown them in the cold waters of her ocean home or watch as they flailed helpless in the water before they went under for good. That was how life went for her. Playing in the oceans and killing men for her meals. She knew nothing else.

However, that was all about to change. She had been following at ship en route to England from the Americas for some time now. She was just bidding her time until she could entice a man to come join her in the water. She'd wait for the fog to roll in as the sun set as it gave her a more mysterious allure than just plain old daylight. This ship was a day away from land, two at the most, and she was growing impatient waiting for any type fog to roll in to help her in catching her meal.

She poked her head above the waters to start singing to one of the men on board when a crash of thunder and a flash of lightening struck. A sudden storm came out of the nowhere. The peaceful evening was soon turning into a hellish night. The storm rocked the ship this way and that listing to either side making getting into a longbow dangerous. The mermaid clapped her hands as she waited. The storm was doing her job for her. She'd have a free meal tonight thanks to this storm.

The sea was a harsh mistress. And sudden storms like these were hellish in nature bent on driving everything down to a watery grave. The ship that had been carried so many people had sunk leaving the longboat and some pieces of driftwood as a testimony to it's having been above the water. Hermione noticed a man flailing in the water, trying to keep his head above the liquid as the storm raged on. It seemed that he was trying to grab a piece of driftwood to save himself from certain death.

She watched as he was plunged into the waters once more. It was then that she noticed how handsome he was. His skin was as pale as sea foam, his hair blond as the sunlight. He was broadshouldered and lean but yet did not look like a sailor to her for he bore not a tan nor anything that would convince her otherwise. She swam to him, grabbing him under his arms. She knew not what made her act thusly. But whatever it was she knew that he couldn't stay under the water unless he wanted to die. She drug herself and him up to the surface and began fighting the waves so that they both could stay above the waves as she swam towards shore.

A grueling several hours later Hermione was laying on the beach next to this man. The sun was just beginning to rise as it was now morning. She had swam all night just to get him to land. The storm had lasted until the wee morning hours. But still that did not stop her from getting him this far. She took a breathe as she laid there panting and regaining some strength from the night long journey. Her pale skin started to shine from the water droplets and her dark hair would soon take on a frizzy appearance if left to dry due to the salt.

She groaned as she moved to check on the man. She placed an ear to his chest and listened for a heartbeat. When she found one and felt his chest rise and fall she knew he was going to be all right. It wouldn't be long until the humans found him. And she needed to be out of sight lest she be killed. So she kissed his forehead and moved to go to the sea. The last thing to hit the water was her tail: a shimmering reddish gold scaled fish tail.


	2. Promises Made

Author's Note: I hope you liked the first chapter of My Jolly Sailor Bold. Remember review! JK Rowling and Warner Brothers own the rights to Harry Potter respectively. I own nothing expect the storyline. And if you haven't guessed by now this takes place in the 1800s.

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Chapter 2: Promises Made

Draco Malfoy had been at sea for a few months. He had been in the Americas carrying out an important business trip for his father. And now he had been heading back home to England. They'd dock in Harwich and then travel from Harwich to London. Then which he'd travel from London back home to his family's estate in Whiltshire. That was the plan anyway. But two days from port they'd hit a sudden storm and the ship went down. The last thing he remembered was thrashing in the water trying to keep afloat while the waves crashed onto him trying to drown him.

That had been days ago. And somehow he'd manage to find himself in Dovercourt on its beach severely dehydrated due to his salt intake because of the water pouring into his mouth. And he had also been injuried as well. A large gash in his leg from hitting a rock. But other than that he was alright aside from being hungry as well. He still didn't know how he got there. He didn't remember swimming or clinging to a piece of drift wood. But somehow he had made it to land.

Once his dehydration had been taken care of and his leg treated and bandaged Draco took to walking around the little town. He had nothing on him in terms of money at the time, everything had been lost at sea because of that weird storm. But he had his name. And even in a little town like this one the name Malfoy carried a lot of weight to it. And he had telagraphed his parents to let them know where he was at. And besides he had food waiting for him when he returned to his lodgings. He walked around Dovercourt looking at how picturesque it all was. He liked it. It was quaint. Small but quaint.

A few days later when Draco was a little more healthier than when he first awoke he walked towards the beach where men were all whispering about something.

"Excuse me," he called out when he saw their faces. They seemed to be fearful of something. Or someone.

"Excuse me. But what's going on here?" he asked.

"You haven't heard the news lad?" asked a gruff older man.

Draco shook his head. "No. I haven't. I haven't been down this way before." He had always been in the town itself. He hadn't been near the beach at all until now.

"A woman's been seen lad. A right pretty one at that. Asking about a pale, blond boy she saved from drowning." he told him. The man looked at the boy. He was pale and blonde alright.

"A woman?" Draco asked eyebrows shooting up.

"Aye. She's been coming for days now. Always asking about the pretty pale boy. Day in and day out she comes and goes."

"Then why are you frightened if it's just a woman?"

"Ain't just any woman, boy. 'Tis a mermaid. And thems dangerous. They'll lure ya into the water and kill you before they eat your flesh. They enjoy it too."

Mermaids? Really?! Mermaids?! Draco laughed. The older man glowered at him. "Sorry, sir. But there are no such things." Draco told him going to the beach himself.

"What are ya doing lad?!" the man cried out.

"To prove you wrong!" Draco hollered over his shoulder. Mermaids. Ha what a laugh.

Draco made his way to the beach. It was still early and so the sun was high enough in the sky where he had to put his hand on his forehead to see where he was going. He stopped dead in his stopped in his tracks as he saw a woman sitting on a rock near the water. He could only see half of her well enough to know that the woman _looked_ like an ordinary woman. Her hair was wet from the water and it was starting to dry and get frizzy at the ends. Probably because of the salt in her hair. Her skin was pale but not pale enough to look ill. She wasn't wearing a bra at all. So he could clearly see her breasts in all of their naked glory. Especially since the wind was blowing. They were pretty and a good size as well. He'd probably wouldn't be able to cup them in his hand as well as he did with some women's breasts. He had to shake himself of those thoughts and took his sight to her face. He couldn't tell what her eyes were since he was still too far away to tell. Her slightly larger than normal front teeth were showing as she bit down on her full bottom lip turning it a darker shade of pink. She seemed to be lost in thought. He decided to go up to her as best he could.

Hermione wasn't really looking. She was seeing but not. She was lost inside her own thoughts. She had been coming day in and day out trying to check up on the boy she had saved. Gods only knew why she did it. It was a one time thing. She was sure that other mermaids did it too when they saw something about a human they liked. She couldn't have been the only one to save what should have been her meal.

She heard someone clear their throat. She jumped and hid behind the rock the best she could. Not that it would do her any good.

"Oh!" she cried out in surprise. She looked around for the sound of that noise and found the pale, blonde boy she had rescued from the ocean's watery grasp. She just looked at him wide eyed. Unable to form a sentence. He had piercing blue-ish grey eyes. His chin was rather pointed but he seemed to be in good health and condition. His hair wasn't the type blond she had thought it was. In fact it looked almost white it was so blond.

"Er, hello," she managed after a moment.

"Hello. Are you... by chance did you save me?" the boy asked.

"Yes I did."

"Thank you. I don't have anything to repay you—"

"I don't need any repayment. But thank you."

At least he was okay. That was all the repayment she needed. She turned to leap back into the water. Her goal was done. She had seen him herself. He was okay and she could go back to being who and what she was.

Draco's eyes widened as he saw her getting ready to leap off the rock into the ocean. He didn't think. He just did. He ran into the water and grabbed her from around her waist to stop her from jumping. The woman screamed in surprise.

"What are you doing?! Let me go!"

That was when Draco looked down to see reddish-gold scales going from her waist all the way down to wait should have been her legs. Instead there were fins. Two of them. So this was a mermaid after all. The old man was right. Draco ignored the mermaid's screams and dragged her from the rock as she flailed about in his arms. He took her to the beach where it all sand; the water couldn't get to them and she'd have to crawl to get back into the water itself.

Then Draco dropped her on her behind before taking off his shirt and drying her tail. As he dried it the tail began to separate into legs. Once he was done and his shirt sopping wet he was now staring at a human looking mermaid. Her brown eyes had flecks of gold in them and they were angry. She was pissed. He couldn't blame her. He would be too if he had been in her position.

"I'm not sorry at all." he told her.

"You should be. I'll kill you for this!" she hissed.

"You saved me, it would be pointless if you killed me." he pointed out.

"You dragged me off the rock!" she argued.

"I need to talk to you! I wasn't finished yet!" he roared back.

"Oh really?! What's so important that you need to keep talking to me?!"

"First off, I'd like your name."

"My name? Really?! Why would you want my name?"

"Because it is yours."

"Fine. Hermione. Satisfied?"

"Yes. I'm Draco."

Draco... like a dragon. Well since it was Latin for dragon it was rather fitting for this snake.

"Okay Draco. Can I go now?"

"No. I want you to stay with me." Was she hearing him correctly? Stay? With him?! She was a sea creature. She couldn't be away from the sea for too long.

"Stay as in..."

"Stay with me as in be my companion."

Hermione opened her mouth to object but Draco cut her to the quick.

"If you don't I'll kill you now that you're out of the water."

Hermione glared at him. She was immortal. She couldn't die like a normal human. But if he killed her by putting something through her heart or by slowly dehydrating her he'd accomplish this task easily since there was no way she could defend herself now that she was out of the water.

"Fine. Where do you live?"

"Whiltshire. But I sent a telagraph to my parents a few days ago and they've provided me with enough money to stay here for a while since it seems that this place is good for my health and wellbeing and traveling right now would be disastrous."

"Why would it be disastrous?"

"Plague's back."

"Plague? I don't understand what you're refering to."

"A fast spreading disease of epidemic porprotions. They've told me to stay put until it passes."

"Oh."

"So will you stay with me and be my companion?" he pressed needing to make sure she meant it.

"Yes. Bloody hell, I already told you I would."

"I know. Just making sure."

"On one condition."

Draco groaned. What could this woman want now?

"Don't try and kill me."

"Promise I won't."

"Good."

Draco smiled and led her back to his lodging he had been living in and what he would be living in for a good while now. With a companion this time. He wouldn't be so alone now. Though, he mused as he looked over at her as they walked together, he would have to have something to cover her up in. A naked woman, regardless if she was human or not, wasn't something that should be seen in public. He'd get her a towel or something from one of the shops.


	3. Learning

Author's Note: I hope you liked the second chapter. And yes Draco is going to be ooc in this fic mainly because of how I have the storyline in my head. That doesn't mean he won't be a little asshole from time to time. Because he will be. But for the sake of this story he will be ooc. Trust me when I say this is strange for me too. I'm used to having Draco be a complete asshole and not give a shit about anything. Also for those who are wondering why Hermione can walk and talk already it's because I'm basing this off of mythology and not any story or movie that deals with mermaids. Remember review! JK Rowling and Warner Brothers own the rights to Harry Potter respectively. I own nothing expect the storyline.

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Chapter 3: Learning

"This is so uncomfortable! I hate it!" Hermione huffed tugging at the dress she was wearing. She was also uncomfortable with the corset she had been forced into. She didn't like to be bound by human cloth. If she wanted to 'dress up' all she needed was some seaweed and some pearls. She couldn't even walk in these things on her feet! She kept wobbling as she tried to walk in them or tripping on the hem of the dress she was wearing or just plain falling on her face if she moved one muscle.

"Hermione, you've been in this dress and shoes for all of—" Draco checked his pocket watch, "—thirty minutes. Stop complaining. _Please_." Her complaining was giving him a headache. He did have to admit though she did look rather stunning with the dress on. Her makeup was done, rather lightly of course, her hair was put up and tamed a bit. She looked divine. Save for the sour expression on her face. It was clear to him that she would rather walk around as naked as she had been the day before.

Hermione huffed again and sat down in the chair behind her. Even that was hard to do thanks to the metal frame giving the dress its shape. How did human women endure this type of annoyance all day and all night long?! It was enough drive anyone bloomin' mad! She had to pretend to be human for the locals. Even though most of the fishermen here in the small town knew she wasn't a human by any means. Why had she agreed to stay with Draco? He didn't have anything on him that would kill her. So as she thought about the day before she came to the conclusion that he had been bluffing. So why had she agreed?

It must have been the same reason why she had saved him in the first place. He fanscinated her. More than any human man ever could. Even so just mere fascination had to wane sometime. And why had he even asked her that in the first place? Was he, like she herself with him, fascinated by her? That could be the only answer she saw. She was a mermaid. A thing of legend. So it was within human right to be fascinated by a being such as her. She would be fascinated with a merman if she were a human. It was only natural.

"Sit up straight Hermione! And don't slouch over!" Draco exclaimed breaking into her thoughts. Hermione sighed and sat up a little straighter and squared her shoulders. "There? Better?" she growled shooting a glare at him. The blond boy glared at her in return. The mermaid was getting to him. And she was doing it on purpose too. _Touché_ , he thought. _But two can play at this game._ "Alright Hermione since we need to at least at like you're human it's time to begin your human training." Let him get on her nerves since she was getting on his. A smirk formed on his lips as she groaned and started threatening him with dismemberment. _Let the fun begin_ , he thought.

A few days later, Hermione was in the drawing room learning to read and write in English. Her handwriting was atrocious but she was just starting to learn the craft. Draco had written down the letters of the alphabet and had been practicing with her how to pronouce each letter. That had gone on for a good while with her in tears hating his guts. But she had gotten it. Now he had told her to write each letter five times with a quill and ink on parchment paper.

"How's it coming Hermione?" Draco asked looking up from his book by the fireplace. This little cottage he had been living in returning to land thanks to Hermione's help was definitely bigger on the inside than it was on the outside. Hermione looked over at him and gritted her teeth. "How do you think it's coming along _Draco_?" she hissed. She watched as the blond got up and went to go see how she was doing. "Blimey! Your handwriting is atrcious Hermione. But I can at least read the letters so it's not that bad. Could be worse." he muttered. He tore off another good size piece of parchment paper and wrote more letters at the top. "You know the drill. Five times for each letter." he told her before going back to reading his book. Hermione screamed in frustration. "I HATE YOU!" "No you don't. You'll thank me for this. Trust me. It'll be easier for you to blend it." he assured her.

This went on and on until Hermione could read and write as good as the next person. She'd practice on making her handwriting better. But for now it was good enough to pass for a human's. When it was all said and done the next time Hermione was in the drawing room she was asleep on the sofa. Draco smiled and nudged her awake. "Hey Hermione, wake up." he whispered in her ear.

"Draco I'm napping. Leave me alone for an hour. I beg of you." she begged her eyes still closed. She was obviously disgruntled by the fact that he was trying to keep her awake when she was so tired. He had trained her hard this time. This time was table manners. He had been surprised that she had come here of all places. Since she had made it clear she hated the drawing room. "You can't sleep here, Hermione. It's not lady-like." "Don't care." she muttered. "Tired." Draco chuckled and scooped her up. This was the second time he had done so and this time she was so tired she didn't even care. "I'm sorry Hermione. But I need you to act least act like a human if someone comes over." he murmured. She sighed and opened her eyes to look at his blue-grey ones. "If I have to learn about humans then you're going to be learning about mermaids." Draco smiled. "Deal."

Of course Draco should have realized that by agreeing to this deal that this was her way of getting him back. Every other hour for a good two weeks straight every time she learned about humans and their ways he would learn about mermaids and her ways. He learned alot. Like for when mermaids mated wtih mermen they gave birth in their human forms. Though they left their children soon after.

He also learned that mermaids didn't have immortal souls so they were immortal creatures because of it. As it turned out they prefer being immortal and ageless over having an immortal soul. He had asked if it were possible for a mermaid to gain such. And Hermione had answered that she didn't know. As she had never heard of a mermaid gaining one.

Slowly throughout the days and coming weeks they began to understand one another with Draco telling her about his childhood as heir to the Malfoy fortune. He'd one day take over from his father Lucius Malfoy and so his childhood was far less frivolous than a normal child's would have been.


End file.
